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'You just can't do that' - Claims of foul play levelled at Etzebeth
By Ian Cameron
Rugby pundit Ugo Monye has claimed Eben Etzebeth should have been yellow carded during the Challenge Cup final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where the Sharks emerged victorious over Gloucester 36-22.
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The former Harlequin winger told TNT Sports at half-time Etzebeth should have been sin-binned and Gloucester awarded a penalty try for his tackle on Chris Harris early in the first half.
The incident occurred when Harris was attempting to reach to score, only to be thwarted by Etzebeth, who appeared to slide into the tackle with his knees, saving a sure try.
👏 EBEN ETZEBETH! What a try saver that is!#GLOvSHA #ChallengeCupRugbypic.twitter.com/nL9typwO4s
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) May 24, 2024
Monye did not hold back in his assessment: “I think this should be a penalty try and a yellow card. Chris Harris is so near… initially, I thought this was brilliant…Etzebeth goes off his feet and knee slides in the field of play. You just can’t do that.
“If he had made that from over the try line, then fair enough. Within the field of play you just can’t go off your feet. He just knee slid into a tackle situation.”
Should this have resulted in a penalty try and a yellow card? 🟡@ugomonye certainly thinks so 🤔
📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/rNDmv9riKw
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) May 24, 2024
Monye’s comments might spark debate among rugby fans but ultimately the Sharks were by some distance the best of the two sides.
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While some might agree with Monye, many others will think it was simply a brilliant bit of defending from the towering second-row.
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Werner Kok, 13 Ethan Hooker, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Siya Masuku, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phepsi Buthelezi, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 James Venter, 5 Gerbrandt Grobler, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain), 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche
Replacements: 16 Fez Mbatha, 17 Nthuthuko Mchuni, 18 Hanro Jacobs, 19 Lappies Labuschagne, 20 Dylan Richardson, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Eduan Keyter
Date: Friday, May 24
Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Kick-off: 20.00 (21.00 SA time; 19.00 GMT)
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Pierre Brousset (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
Unfortunately Ugo is actually correct. Any action by Etzebeth once he is off his feet in the field of play is illegal.
Too often we see players off their feet doing stuff and getting away with it
Dispossessing yes, tackling no. You cannot tackle a player who is prone on the ground but you can play the ball.
You can’t play the ball either.
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
A drugs test would clear it up. Get the big lad to piss in a jar.
Can someone please tell Monye that he’s complete 🔔🔚?
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
Foul play by Eben Etzebeth? Surely not.
Ugo this is rugby mate. Stop talking nonsense
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
Get real! The fact that his knees didn't make contact with the player negates your opinion. Maybe he should have waved the player in, like a traffic officer at a blocked intersection?
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
Seriously? Why even entertain this. Trust me. No debate amongst rugby fans. We’re smarter than that. Nothing wrong here. Great defense. Move on.
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
Did anyone catch the elbow to the back of the head of the sharks player 36min 28sec in just before the aerial challenge? I watched it live and I thought I saw it and the sharks player drop. Every camera shot was then zoomed it for the aerial contest. Was it just my imagination or was it just a bad camera angle.
Brit pundit - sees Springbok cries FOUL PLAY.
It's becoming tiresomely BORING.
SAFFAS AGAIN . TYPICAL . ELIZABETH ENTITLED, ARROGANT .A … NO WONDER THE WIVES DIVORCE THEM . HEY RASMUSSEN . LEKKA
These so called commentators should be tested for drugs before they are giving microphones.
If you're being super anal I guess I can see the logic but you can't advocate for speeding the game up and less TMO intervention if you're championing such pedantry. He hit the ball and a guy's hand with his knee. Much ado about nothing… and I live 20 miles from Gloucester.
I don’t think Monye knows what he is talking about, at all… Embarrassing.
Who recruits wingers for pundits anyway?
Why would a wing be any more or less competent than a prop or a fullback as an analyst?
Dude, you misspelled whingers 😉
As an Irish neutral, I see nothing wrong with that, excellent try saving tackle
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
I really like Monye. He is always level headed and fair but today he let himself down. A tackle is when you attach yourself to another player. EE wasn’t trying to tackle. He was applying 100+ Test experience to good effect. Rather get your technical team to find areas of brilliance from both teams and then discuss those. That makes for a good TV product. Not making stuff up.
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
Cry baby!
World Rugby Standard Rules:
13. A player on the ground in the field of play, without the ball is out of the game and must:
1. Allow opponents who are not on the ground to play or gain possession of the ball.
2. Not play the ball.
3. Not tackle or attempt to tackle an opponent
Sanction: Penalty.
Etzebeth prevented the try by illegally playing the ball on the ground breaking Law 13.2 or 13.1 depending on if you define his action as trying to tackle or trying to play the ball.
It should have been a penalty try. Monye is correct.
Insignificant saffa.
Nah this guy Monye is just simply sour grapes his side lost the Challenge Cup. His thoughts on the matter should be red carded and sent off the website.
Monye, no one cares what you had to say. The ruck had happened and Harris instead of putting the ball back behind the ruck to have another phase attempts to dot down over the try. And it's fair because no double movement. However, he is too far back and his placing is still short. Etzebeth now knows he can grab the ball. Which he does and prevents a try in the process.
Why did you even bother writing this article?
Nothing wrong with that !
No Ugo.
Firstly, it was not a tackle situation. The tackle happened long before Eben arrived, and he was not in any way engaged in the tackle. His involvement was post tackle, during the period when the tackled player is entitled to place the ball. The player could have placed the ball on his side for a ruck phase, but he took a swing at scoring. The attempt to place the ball over the line failed because there was a defender there, namely Etzebeth.
He is absolutely allowed to be there. You can argue that he cannot be off his feet and interfering with play. But the attempt to apply the “off your feet” principle is stupid. Every single case of a “held up” try attempt is subject to the same logic. In these cases the player preventing the ball from touching the ground is always off their feet and in-principle is out of the game, but interfering.
Goal line stands against pick and go attacks are another example. Tacklers in these situations frequently complete the tackle after their knees hit the ground. They are technically off their feet and out of the game, and a literal interpretation of the laws would result in a penalty, card and/or penalty try. But that is not how it is refereed.
Ugo seems like a nice guy, but it sounds like they need someone in the studio with a better sense of modern rugby.
A better commentary would have been to call out the example of the defensive brilliance of one of the premier locks in international rugby.
what a laugh - there was no “slide into the tackle with his knees” the Gloucester player was already prone reaching for the line when Eben came sliding parallel to the line - his knee made contact with the ball - its like Jeff Wilson screaming ‘direct contact with the head’ when Siya hit Ardie on the shoulder / chest and the impact had Ardie head rock forward. Obvious bias.
Another winger who lucked a punditry job.
Its lucky you and fellow Sharks fans don’t have any bias :)
Why is it that a Wing can make a comment? Wings are put on the wing because they are fast but generally clueless in the rugby sense of the game. This Monye fellow has to be rather brain dead, actually is, brain dead. Why is he even given time in the rugby world? The mind boggles…